The method and devices as mentioned above are of particular use in the field of wireless communication wherein a communication equipment is provided for wireless communication, in particular in a cellular radio communication network like a cellular radio communication network based on a GSM, 2G, 3G or LTE standard. Such cellular wireless communication network comprises a number of node stations for establishing a communication link between the communication equipment and a node station in a cell of a communication network. The communication equipment usually is identified in the communication network by means of a subscriber identification card usually known as a SIM-Card which has a respective module; the module is adapted for authentication of the subscriber in the net and also has some memory and logic for executing some kind of storage tasks and applications—in the instant application more generally the module also is referred to as an integrated circuit card device. The module for wireless communication or the like wireless communication terminal embraces but is not restricted to a module for a mobile equipment for mobile communication or generally a wireless equipment for communication but also embraces a (machine to machine-) M2M-equipment or the like communication module for solely machine based communication without involvement of a personal user.
In operation the module of the communication equipment is in signaling relation to a device of an integrated circuit card, wherein said operation is for signaling between the module and the integrated circuit card device via an interface system, said interface system comprising: at least one command interface instance adapted for a first direct command signaling between the module and at least one application (e.g. an M2M-application); e.g. by means of an AT-Command.
Also within the communication equipment an operation of the module in relation to a device of an integrated circuit card is necessary to adapt the conditions of communication with the authenticated features which are stored in the integrated circuit card. For instance the integrated circuit or the like logic comprising device of the integrated circuit card securely stores the international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) or related key used to identify and authenticate subscribers on a mobile telephony device or generally the like communication equipment.
Originally, the SIM Card has been specified in ETSI TS 11.11 and further with regard to 3G standard in ETSI TS 51.011 or further in ETSI TS 31.102. Usually, a device of an integrated circuit card has a microcontroller to establish the logic and typically a RAM and ROM to establish the memory containing an operating system and a personalization of a user of the communication equipment. Further, as indicated it is possible to load applications on the device in use by the subscriber for communication with a handset, a server or the like communication equipment. Within ETSI TS 102 223 with regard to the above mentioned application toolkit—specifically with regard to an integrated circuit card, preferably in form of a SIM-card, referred to as a card application toolkit CAT—mechanisms are described, which allow applications to be executed on the integrated circuit card and thus also to interact and operate with a module or the like terminal connected to the device of the integrated circuit card in a second direct command signaling.
Within operation of the device one of many mechanisms defined by ETSI TS 102 223 in a second direct command signaling between the integrated circuit card device and the module are e.g. ‘Proactive UICC’ commands—referred to as ‘Proactive Commands’ or “PACs” within this application documents—, which are sent from the device; namely here a unified integrated circuit card device (UICC-device), to the module or the like terminal. The terminal usually always needs to respond (Terminal Response) to the UICC. Further, according to TS 102 223 “the event download mechanism is used to transfer details of the event to the UICC, when it occurs. Events that the terminal can report to the UICC include incoming calls, location status, access technology, display parameters changed, and availability of the screen for applications.” In particular profile downloading provides a mechanism for the terminal to tell the UICC what it is capable of, e.g. which PACs and events are implemented by the terminal. One of many PACs defined by TS 102 223 is the “RUN AT-COMMAND”. If provided by the terminal, the SIM may use this PAC to send AT-Commands (e.g. defined by 3GPP TS 27.007 or terminal specific) to the terminal. The terminal itself returns the AT Response within a Terminal Response to the UICC.
A disadvantage of mechanisms of downloading events from the module or the like terminal to the ICC-device, in particular a SIM is, that on the one hand only predefined events can be sent to the ICC-device. On the other hand while an AT interface is implemented for each module and the module is configured to listen to commands via the AT interface, it requires to convert existing mechanisms to those CAT events. It is further more complicated as the module needs to be aware of what type of application is connected via the AT interface. Those further steps are less flexible and error prone.
US 2009/0215491 A1 discloses a method for handling a hands free device by an audio gateway device with a first subscriber identity card and a second subscriber identity card executed by a micro processing unit of a baseband chip. A command is received from the hands free device wherein the hands free device issues the first command to request a status report of the audio gateway device. The status report is provided to the hands free device via a result code which comprises a plurality of integrated status indicators corresponding to statuses of the first subscriber identity card and the second subscriber identity card.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,978,157 B1 discloses a radio communication module of the type cooperating with the SIM Card in the form of at least one first SIM application toolkit dialogue. Said module also cooperates with third item of equipment and comprises means to convert said at least one first dialogue between said SIM Card and said module into a at least one second dialogue between said module and said third item of equipment such that said SIM Card controls said third item of equipment via said module. Said at least one second dialogue is constructed with at least a part of a set of commands and/or unsolicited results written according to a second encoding separate from a first encoding. An unsolicited result is a spontaneous message, which is not a response to a previous command and does not imply a response.